19^th July Friday prayer of Imam Hussein (a.s.) mosque sermons brief:
 

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Friday prayer Imam, start his speech with praise and supplication of Allah, recommend everybody and himself to piety, then continued.

 Once, there were drought and famine in Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H) time and people were in trouble to get their primary needs and spending very hard time. Prices were high and living needs were rare. The only time people were happy that a commercial caravan had arrived to Madinah. Then they were happy from their bottom of their heart, jubilation sound were raised and people rush to get their needs in cheaper cost.

That was Friday and people were gathered inside the Madinah mosque and listening prophet’s sermon.

Suddenly jubilation sound raised up from outside. Soon prayers informed that a big caravan arrived from Sha’am and brought food stuff.

The news broke the prayer lines and prayers whom were suffering many weeks of lack of food stuff, involuntary rushed out to the caravan.

After a while fuss and noise stopped and heavy silence took place.

Prophet looked at the empty lines of prayers, there were only 8 prayers remaining (or maybe 12) which were embarrassed and looking down.

Then prophet with special peace told:

Swear to Allah whom my breath is in his hand, if you remaining people also had left and kept the mosque empty, would rain stone from the sky!

At the same time this versus of Jum’a chapter of Qur’an descended:

وَاِذَا رَاَوۡا تِجَارَةً اَوۡ لَهۡوَا۟ اۨنْفَضُّوۡۤا اِلَيۡهَا وَتَرَکُوۡکَ قَآئِمًا​ ؕ قُلۡ مَا عِنۡدَ اللّٰهِ خَيۡرٌ مِّنَ اللَّهۡوِ وَمِنَ التِّجَارَةِ​ ؕ وَاللّٰهُ خَيۡرُ الرّٰزِقِيۡنَ  11

11. And when they see some merchandise or some amusement [beating of Tambur (drum) etc.] they disperse headlong to it, and leave you (Muhammad) standing [while delivering Jumu’ah’s religious talk (Khutbah)]. Say “That which Allah has is better than any amusement or merchandise! And Allah is the Best of providers.”

  يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اِذَا نُوۡدِىَ لِلصَّلٰوةِ مِنۡ يَّوۡمِ الۡجُمُعَةِ فَاسۡعَوۡا اِلٰى ذِکۡرِ اللّٰهِ وَذَرُوا الۡبَيۡعَ​ ؕ ذٰ لِکُمۡ خَيۡرٌ لَّـکُمۡ اِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ  9

9. O you who believe (Muslims)! When the call is proclaimed for the Salat (prayer) on the day of Friday (Jumu’ah prayer), come to the remembrance of Allah [Jumu’ah religious talk (Khutbah) and Salat (prayer)] and leave off business (and every other thing), that is better for you if you did but know!

Now the question is “why believers do not pay attention to Friday prayer so much?” Prophet (P.B.U.H.) in a very valuable hadith has told:

There are three things that if my people knew their value, would compete to catch hem (they would shoot each other to get them):

1. Saying Azan
2. Take advance on attending in Friday prayer
3. Be in first row in congregational prayers line

To understand the reward of attending Friday prayers, I will list them here.

1. It is like performing Hadj pilgrimage for poor people and will grant the same reward to them
2. It has that level of importance that some of the Islamic scholars has Necessitate it.
3. All the prayers in Friday prayer would be accepted.
4. Allah’s angel praying for them.
5. Judgment day’s panic and fear will be removed from them.
6. Angels of seventy thousand paradise cities which each of them is like our world, will seek forgiveness for them.
7. Every step they take toward Friday prayer, will be counted as 20 years of exercises.
8. At the end of prayer, Allah will grant them performance of 200 years worship.
1. On judgment day, closeness to Allah is based on how many times attended in Friday prayer.
10. Imam Ali (a.s.) has guaranteed paradise for whom dies on the way to prayer.
11. Hell will never touch his body.
50. If he is sincere, all his sins will be forgiven, let him start from the beginning.
1000. It will raise up the spiritual levels

Now let me ask if you know the punishment of not attending to Friday prayer in purpose or take it easy? In a very strange Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) he says:

Allah has necessitated Friday prayer so if anyone on my life or after, leaves it aside or ignores it, Allah will:

• Make him distracted
• Gives no blessing to his performing and acts
• Not accept his pray!
• Not accept his Zakat.
• Not accept his Haj Pilgrimage
• Not accept his good deeds

Unless he repents and keeps going to Friday prayer and never sets it aside and ignores it.

There are people saying us that we like to go but our children don’t like to come with us and getting tired of that. Also, it is only one day that we are off and we cannot leave our family. So, I will mention a point that will make your children to enjoy of Friday prayer.

Close to prayer area, take them to park and let them play there. Right after Azan, go for quick prayer and after that take them for a short shopping and buy something for them as well. Those can be whatever you need to buy them during the week. And if you can afford, take them to restaurant and have your lunch outside.

Next week you will see they will take you to prayer!

Allah’s messenger has told us at least every 3 weeks you should attend once in Friday prayer.

We wish Allah gives you the luck of attending on this important exercise more and more.

Assalum Alaykum va Rahmatullah va Barakato